Steering baby carriage



July 29, 1947. H. F. SHAW STEERING BABY CARRIAGE Filed Jan. 23, 1945' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I nvezwior. HazmZdEShaw Wm {Mlle cHi/iys July 29, 1947. H. F. SHAW I STEERING BABY CAR RiAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 23, 1945 1 I IIaY'OZdF Shaw Patented July 29, 1947 STEERING BABY CARRIAGE Harold F. Shaw, Leominster, Mass., assignor to F. A. Whitney Carriage Company, Leominster, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 23, 1945, Serial No. 574,123

Claims. 1

This invention relates to steering baby carriages and the object of the invention is to provide improvements in the construction of such a carriage contributing to the comfort and safety of the baby and to the convenience of the nurse, as will more fully appear from the detailed description of the illustrative embodiment shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the carriage, the upper portion of the pusher bar being broken away; i

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the running gear of the carriage, the body being omitted; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the parts in another position.

The body is in collapsed position in Figs. 2 and 3.

Referring to the drawing, the carriage there shown comprises a body If] conveniently of the collapsible type supported substantially centrally thereof and at either side from the end portions of a cross-member 12 to which are joined by vertical pivots [4 two non-parallel longitudinal reaches [5, the ends of which are connected by vertical pivots l8 to front and rear non-rotatable, wheeled axles 2U. Herein the reaches incline inwardly from rear to front, forming with the intervening segments of the axles an isosceles trapezoid when the parts. are centralized and the carriage is pointed straight ahead. With this arrangement of parts, if, for example, a lateral force is applied toward the left on the cross-member I 2, the axles will be turned in a direction to make a turn to the right. The construction as so far described is not novel to the present application.

The bodyfll is here shown as of known construction, being in effect a flexible basket or bag capable of collapsing and supported from its upper periphery by the X-shaped frame elements on either side. The frame at each side comprises a long link 22, herein shown (Fig. 1) extending diagonally upwardly and rearwardly from the front and pivotally connected at its upper end to the body. A shorter link 24 extends on the opposite diagonal and is jointed at 26 to the link at the cross of the X. This link forms one element of a. toggle, the other element 28 of which is pivoted to the end of the link and at 30 to the upper edge of the body. Element 28 is formed as usual by the lower portion of the side of the pusher bar (the upper portion being omitted in Fig. 1 and concealed by the body in Figs. 2 and 3 because folded over the same in the folded position of the carriage there shown). A latch 32 looks together the parts 24 and 28 as a rigid unit when the carriage is in the erected position of Fig. 1.. The

lower ends of the crossed elements 22 and 24 are suspended from the cross-member l2 by longitudinal springs 34 secured centrally to the latter, as by the rivets 36 through the extremities of the cross-member and the central portions of inwardly facing arcuate bracing elements 38, the outer ends of which are rigidly secured to the springs and which are centrally traversed by the pivots I l. The springs 34 are concaved upwardly and provided with inturned C-shaped or scrolled ends.

To utilize the very soft cushioning action possible with such springs while providing that a guiding force exerted on the handle carried by the body proper, herein as a part of the collapsible supporting frame described, will be effective to transmit a turn-initiating movement to the crossmember 12, the lower end of the frame elements 22 and 24 and the ends of the springs are connected by straps All adapted to swing on the connected parts, these straps herein being in the nature of links turning on horizontal pivots. Effective steering action may thus be obtained by traction exerted through the straps, yet the carriage is manipulated by the cushioned body and no shocks are transmitted from the running gear to the hands.

To provide for braking the carriage, although the body springs freely and in steering turns relatively to the axles, a brake bar 42 is provided having ends opposing a pair of the wheels and supported by vertical pivots on the ends of bracket-like elements 46 projecting substantially rigidly from the rear axle 20, the brake bar consequently being held in fixed angular relation to the rear wheels independently of movement of the body. The bar may be flexed by pressing the central portionthereof away from the axle to throw the outer end into braking contact with the wheels, as by means of the mechanism shown, which is the same as that described in the patent to Potter 1,281,415, October 15, 1918, and which therefore requires no detailed description in the present place.

To limit the swinging movement of the reaches and therefore the angular movement of the axles, -U-shaped members 48 (best seen in Fig. 1) may be provided disposed at the side of the crossmember [2 opposite the reaches. The central portion of these straps may be traversed by the pivots l4, thus aiding providing a long bearing for the latter. In Fig. 1 will be seen a washer 5E! surrounding pivot l4 and disposed between elements 48 and the overlying braces 38. Thus in the example shown the length of the pivot is from the lower face of the reach to the upper face of the brace 38. The legs of the U-shaped elements are secured to the reaches at opposite sides of the cross-member [2, their spacing being somewhat greater than the width of that memher but such that they will engage the crossmember and stop further movement about the pivots htwhen the parts are in predetermined extreme positions in either direction; Shearing strain on the rivets is minimized by this con struction. Yieldable means may be provided for normally centralizing the linkwork whichpermits the steering of the carriage which will then normally be in a condition of adjustment for straightahead movement. Herein there is shown a pair of helical extension springs 52 located beneath the body in the space between the reaches I 6. Each spring is connected at one end to'a reach and extends diagonally and is anchored at the other end to a part which moves angularly relati'veto the each the stem 'gihdvement of the carriage. herein to "the central portion or the cross member Hi. This construction is simple andfrug'ged and efiectivefor its purpose without offering undesirable resistance to the steering manipulation of the vehicle. It 'iso'ut of the way Where it cannot foul the lbabys blankets when they fare bein'gi'put into taken out of the body andcannotcaltch the skirt ors'nag the stockings of the nurse. It is inconspicuous, indeed in effect invisible, so that the attractive appearance of the'carriage 'is not altered thereby.

Under some'circumstan'ces it maybe desirable to lock the running gear of t h e vehicle to the position 'of Fig. i 2 for straight-ahead running. For this purpose there "is provided a bar 54 which isshow'n in Figs 2 and 3 in an intermediate position fo'r per ose tr disclosure. 'It is pivoted onthe 'left liandend, viewing those figures, to the left-hand reach T6, herein and conveniently o'nithe stud whichsecures thereto the left-hand spring. When th 'carriageis used as a steering'ca'rriag'e it could be swung out of the way into line Xviththereaeh, If itis desired to lock the carriage, the right-hand end thereof may be engaged with the cross-meniber l2 atthe point 56 and will define with the portion of theleft-hand reach'i'fi extending in Fig. 2 upwardlyfrom pivot l i 'andltheintervening segment of that member between 14 and 5S an indeformable triangle which will loch the running gear with the axles in the parallelposition shown in Fig. 2. 7 h V It win teapi arent that the invention may be embodiediniother specific'fornis without departing fro'rnithe spirit or essential attributes thereof, andthe' present embodiment should therefore be considered in 'all respects asillustrative and not'restrictive, as'is in'fact clear in several matters-from the'description itself. Reference is to be ha'dYtb the appended claims to indicate those principles of the invention -exemplified by the particularembodiment described and which it is desired to secure by Letters Patent.

I'clairng i u l 1 A baby carriage comprising front'and rear non-rotatable wheeled axles, a-pair ofnon-parallel longitudinal reaches secured attheir ends to saidaxles by vertical pivots spaced from the centers of the axles; the reaches presenting at a location betweenthe' axles, bearing portions at opposite sidesof the center-line of the carriage, a pair; of longitudinal springs having'scrolled ends, the springskloeing centrally supported at said-location from 'the reaches by means permitting turning movement about vertical pivots" of said-reaches relativethereto, a' body reoeivedberelative'thereto.

tween the springs, a handle carried by the body for trundling the carriage, the body being suspended from the ends of the springs by straps swingable on the connected parts, whereby the body may freely cushion on the springs but turning force exerted on the body by said handle will be exerted through the straps differentially to turn the reaches and turn at least one of the axles to steer the carriage.

2. A baby carriage comprising a pair of Wheeled axles, underframe elements connecting the same and joined to said axles by vertical pivots permitting the axles to assume different angles to one another and to said elements as the carriage is guided in difierent directions, springs rising from the underframe, a body suspended by the springs, a pair of arms projecting from an axle, a brake bar supported therefrom having end portions serving as shoes presented to the wheels in fixed relation to the center thereof independently as movement of other parts of the carriage relative to the axle and means between axle and bar for controlling the application and release of the brake.

3. 'Asteer'able baby carriage comprising a body, a substantially centrally located transverse element from which the body is supported, a pair O non-parallel longitudinal reaches terminally pivoted on vertical pivots to front and rear nonrotatable wheeled axles, the reaches crossing said element and pivoted thereto, and U-shaped straps overlying the other side of said element and having their legs-secured to the reaches, the legs engaging said element to limit swinging movement of the reaches relative thereto.

4. A steerable baby carriage comprising a body, a substantially centrally located transverse element from which the body is supported, a pair of non-parallel longitudinal reaches terminally pivoted on vertical pivots to front and rear nonrotatable wheeled axles, the reaches crossing said element, U-shaped straps overlying the other side of said element and having their legs secured to the reaches,-and vertical pins traversing the central portions of said straps, the reaches and said element to-pivotally connect the reaches and element, the legs engaging said element to limit swinging movement-of the reaches 5. 'A baby carriage -comprising front and rear non-rotatable wheeled axles, a pair of non-parallel reaches secured-at-their ends to said axles by vertical pivots spaced'from the-centers of the axles, across-member parallel to theaxles betweenthe same pivotedto the reaches by vertical pivots and having ends extending outwardly beyond the sam e,-la teral elements secured substantially centrally*thereof to said ends,braces securedto the-lateralelements remote-from said ends and traversed by the-adjacent pivots connecting thecross-member to the reaches, and-a body-supportedfrom said lateral elements.

- HAROLD SHAW.

'nnr'nnnncns orrnn dThe foll'owing references are of recordin the fileof this'pate'nt:

UNrrEDsTAT-Es PATENTS 

